POLL FINDS F.B.I. LOSING SUPPORT

PRINCETON, N. J., Aug. 8—The Federal Bureau of Investi gation has declined in public esteem since 1965, particularly among younger adults, Eastern ers and persons with a college background, according to the Gallup Poll.

During this five‐year period the F.B.I. has frequently come under fire from liberal groups as a bulwark of the “establish ment,” Gallup noted.

Despite the decline in public esteem, the bureau still com mands the broad respect of the population as a whole, accord ing to the poll, with seven per sons in 10 (71 per cent) giving the organization a “highly fa vorable” rating. The compara ble rating in the 1965 survey was 84 per cent.

The poll also found that the F.B.I. was more highly regard ed than another governmental organization, the Pentagon, which is also generally asso ciated with the “establishment” and has been under heavy fire from. antiwar groups. About three persons in ten (28 per cent) in the latest survey gave the Pentagon a “highly favor able” rating. No earlier figures were available.

The ratings in this report were obtained by a sensitive attitude scale called the Stapel Scalometer, which consists of ‘10 squares or boxes.

The person being tested was given a card showing the (squares and told the top square represented the highest degree of liking, the lowest square, the lowest degree. He was then asked to indicate how far up or down the scale he would place the organization he was asked to rate.